Businesses have been fed a lie - why they failAND THEY WILL COME I’m sorry, but this is simply NOT the case. Let’s explore this a bit in real life… Do you honestly think that Dr. Phil is the absolute BEST psychiatrist in the world? Do you honestly believe that Dr. Oz is the absolute BEST doctor in the world? Do you honestly feel that Oprah is the BEST talk show host in the world? Here’s a fun one… Do you honestly believe that Chuck Norris is the BEST martial artist in the world? (I mean, didn’t Bruce Lee kick his butt?!) If you have any thread of common sense, you will come to the obvious conclusion that none of these people are THE best. It’s simply ludacris to think there is not a single greater doctor on the entire face of this earth. Take a look at your very own life, your very own city, your very own neighborhood. Is there anyone you know - maybe a mechanic, a fitness coach, a nurse – that is absolutely AMAZING at what they do, yet aren’t on television running Overhauled or coaching on NBC’s Biggest Loser? BUT… With that being said, I can almost guarantee you that these people are some of the HIGHEST paid in their industry. Did you know that in 2009 Dr. Phil’s salary was $80 million*1, yet the average psychologist doesn’t even earn close to 100k a year*2! That’s over 800 times more than the average doc! I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to feel like I should charge more! BIG QUESTION This is where you have to sit back and rethink your whole strategy… DO YOU WANT TO BE THE BEST IN YOUR INDUSTRY, OR DO YOU WANT TO BE THE BEST PAID? The choice is yours… In my consulting practice, countless companies I walk into are striving to be the absolute best, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but that ALONE will not make you a millionaire. (Or whatever your goals are) The shame in this lie is it leaves too much to the imagination, and left to their own devices many up and coming businesses take it far too literally and enter the real world with a flawed frame of mind. It’s not being the best in your industry that counts; it’s being the best at… (Or, better than the average Joe) • Marketing • Selling • Copywriting • Public Relations • Management • Search Engine Optimization • And the list goes on… You see, Chuck Norris has become a worldwide phenomenon because he positioned himself that way. Dr. Oz is a super star doctor because he branded himself that way. Dr. Phil is the most popular psychiatrist because he promoted himself that way, etc. THE GOOD NEWS Want to know what’s GREAT about the fact that you don’t have to be the BEST in your industry but instead at the points listed above? They are applicable to any industry. You see, superior marketing is what allows one martial arts school to become an uber success, untouchable by any competitor. Marketing is what allows one soda brand to tower above the rest. Marketing is what allows one burger joint to rule the world while others sit idly by. Marketing is what allows one shoe brand to “make it” while others are stuck fighting over what’s left of the pie. With a learned skill such as marketing, you can take your business or professional practice to the top – EVEN if you aren’t the best! (With that being said, don’t suck, don’t sell a crap shoot, don’t take part in any un-ethical business practices..) BIG PROBLEM Now that we’ve cleared the air of this ever so destructive lie and made it clear that you don’t need to be the absolute best carpet cleaners in the whole wide world (and really, the statistical odds of that happening are nearly zero), we need to talk about a big problem… When I consult with businesses, one thing I hear often is “but I don’t want to be a salesperson” I’m sorry to break it to you, it won’t work. You see, to start your own business (and succeed) you need to love business, you need to learn business, and you need to know business. (Yes, without these you can probably still starve your way by and maybe survive.) If you aren’t at least open and willing to learn, unfortunately you will be commoditized and those who own shops run by savvy business people will crush you. Don’t get me wrong, it is still possible to hire someone to do these things for you, but when you are just starting off that added overhead can crush you before you even leave the gate. QUICK NOTE ON HARD TIMES Don’t be fooled, hard times are NOT relevant to businesses that are good at being strategic and mindful of their businesses. You see, EVERYONE strives in a good economy; it’s the bad economy that shows us who’s actually a true entrepreneur. BIG SOLUTION Okay, okay, that can be depressing. Am I saying not to follow your passion? Not at all! In my second business I was passionate about fitness, specifically kickboxing, so I started a kickboxing studio and within 1 year I was the number 1 guy in my city, expanded 3 times and had over 100 people per class – with over 30 classes a week. I made a killing doing what I was passionate about – so how did I succeed? I was willing to LEARN what I needed to know to be successful, and that’s the kicker. You see, what’s amazing about the “American Dream” is that everything it takes to “make it” is learnable, and often for free. Marketing, selling and copywriting (the top three to succeed) are learned skills and yes, you can learn them free. Hit up that old world wide web, find your way to one of them search engine thingys and type “how to market [your field]” and presto, tons of awesome resource’s. LET’S RECAP Being the best is NOT enough anymore. Your success (and whoever else hooked their band wagon to you) is driven by your ability (and willingness) There’s nothing wrong with being employed and loving your profession. Like I tell my martial arts clients - If you aren’t willing to get a Black Belt in business, don’t start a studio. End
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